Part 27

Khushi was sitting on the balcony looking at the sea thinking about Arnav. She didn't know what she has to do. His current behavior gives her shiver. As much as she thinks, her mind didn't work. Suddenly, something made her close her eyes. However, she tried she couldn't open her eyes. It was a reflection of a mirror that was hitting her eyes continuously. She restricted it by her palm and opened her eyes. It was Arnav who standing on the next balcony with a hand mirror. She opened her mouth wide.

Khushi gritted her teeth and turned around to go inside. Her phone beeped and she was more shocked seeing Arnav's message indication on WhatsApp. She looked at him who gestured her to open the message. She opened it astonished.

"you cannot stand in front of me and will run like this if I start reflecting my real image".

She dropped her jaw and came again to the previous place and sat there. Arnav smirked. Khushi again received a message. She opened it.

"See, how I brought you back as per my wish".

She rolled her eyes high. Again she got a message. She looked at him and he smiled at her. She opened like she was not interested. When she opened it, she lost the strength of looking at him. Arnav saw her hands shivering. Sweat beats appeared on her face. She struggled to hide it from him.

"Tell me you'll always

Be by my side

Or on top of me

....or under me"

She stood and went inside without looking at him not giving heed to the beep sound of her phone leaving smirking Arnav.

She opened the message after coming inside her room. She looked at her face in the mirror and she felt like crying.

It was a "kissing simile".

Next Day

The beautician brought two helpers to do facial, pedicure, and manicure for Ratna, Garima, and LA. She sat with Khushi to draw Mehandi on their palm.

The beautician gave a Mehandi book to Khushi to choose a design as per her wish. Khushi purposely selected a design in which there was a space to write something. The beautician started drawing Mehandi on Khushi's palm. She stopped after finishing the design. Before she asked the first letter of the Groom, Khushi herself said...

Khushi: Write "A".

After all that was one of her dreams. The beautician wrote "A" and completed the Mehandi. Khushi admired it for a while smilingly. What a beautiful feeling it was? Her Allav's first letter, on her palm, that too for their marriage. It indicates that she would become his... soon.

She raised her head and her smile faded. Arnav was looking at her frowning as he didn't know she has written his initials in her Mehandi. Khushi hurriedly went to the women gang and sat with them until her Mehandi got dried.

Khushi: Do you anyone want coffee? I'm going to prepare for myself.

Ratna: Not now. We will have it later. You can make one.

Khushi: Ok then.

She went to the kitchen and prepared coffee. She poured it in the cup. That's when she heard,

Arnav: Make one for me too.

Khushi looked at him and turned without giving heed to him as usual. She took the cup and about to leave, Arnav blocked her way.

Arnav: I asked you something.

Khushi: Prepare by yourself.

Arnav: Then, what my wife will do? He asked smirking.

Khushi (dropping her jaw): I'm not your wife.

Arnav: Tying Thali on your neck only is left. So you are my half-wife.

Khushi: You can't compel me for anything even if I'm your full-wife.

Arnav: Why are you overreacting? It's just a matter of coffee.

Khushi: Coffee or anything, I won't do it for you. So stop fly high. (She said showing her palm unknowingly.)

Arnav's face brightened seeing his initial on her palm. He caught hold of her wrist and Khushi closed her fist. Arnav forcefully opened it and Khushi couldn't restrict him for long.

Arnav: You said you won't write my initial on your palm? What happened now? Couldn't you stop yourself from writing my name?

Khushi: You know what? We are under the same pressure. You are marrying me for your mother. As the same, I wrote your initial just for my mother. That's all. understood?

Arnav: Let's see what more you will do for your mother (pause) after our marriage...

He said with a killer smirk. Arnav snatched the cup from her hand and sipped it.

Khushi (panicking): Don't drink. It has sugar.

Arnav(frowning): There is no sugar in this coffee.

Khushi: What!! But I put a spoon full of sugar.

Arnav: Am I lying? (pause) Taste it if you have doubts.

Arnav made her drink the coffee. Of course, there was enough sugar in it. Khushi frowned looking at him.

Khushi: You are a liar. Absolutely it has sugar.

Arnav again sipped it.

Arnav (raising his eyebrows): Yah... it has sugar. How it is possible? I think it tastes sweet because your beautiful lips touched it.

Khushi was dumbfounded. Her heart started thudding with an express train sound. She was tried to fly but he clutched her wrist.

Arnav: We shared a coffee after a long time. 

He said taking another sip.

Khushi: You made me taste it by lying. (She said gritting her teeth.)

Arnav: I can make you do things for me without lying too.

Khushi's eyes popped out hearing that.

Khushi: Stop flirting with me.

Arnav (sighed): Thank God, finally, you got the point so that I can do it free here on.

Khushi: You can do nothing without my acceptance. Mind it.

Saying she turned to leave but felt a tug on her neck as Arnav was clutching her Shawl. She perplexed at his action. Why he was behaving like this suddenly?

Khushi: Leave my shawl... She stammered.

Arnav dragged her close to him by her shawl.

Arnav: You said I can do nothing without your acceptance?

Khushi: Leave me Arnav...

Arnav: Why?

Khushi: Just leave...

He dragged her more close to him.

Arnav: You wanted your Allav back right? What do you think? Will he be like ten years before? Like, Snatching chocolates and dragging your hair? Of course, I want to do that too.

Khushi was panting hard. What the hell he means?

Khushi: I don't want to think anything about you.

Arnav: Ohh really?

Before Khushi said anything, Arnav kissed her cheek giving her shock. Khushi's eyes went wide open.

Arnav: from now onwards, you have no other choice than to think about me.

She pushed him and rushed out of the kitchen forgetting her coffee, of course thinking about Arnav.

After that encounter, Khushi seemed so silent which made her beloved women confused. She was normal a few minutes ago. What happened to her suddenly? Ratna looked at LA and asked her by a gesture. LA observed Khushi who was touching her cheek again and again.

LA: Khushi are you ok?

Khushi (stammering): What happened to me? I'm alright.

LA: why are you touching your cheek again and again?

Khushi (panicking): Nothing... Nothing.

LA: Ok ok... relax. Why are you behaving weirdly? I think something should have happened in the kitchen.

Khushi: No.... nothing happened. I'm going to GH. My head is blasting. She flew from there.

GH

Khushi was pacing in her room. As Arnav said, she couldn't be thinking of him. Not even for a while. A sudden change of him shook her to the core.

Khushi(self-talk): What happened to him all of a sudden? What was there in his mind? That KISS... How dare he kiss me? But I could do nothing. Why So? Yes, I wanted my Allav back but I didn't expect this type of "comeback". He seemed to be tough to handle. What will I do if he continues like this after our marriage? What if more than this? (She gulped.) But why it makes my stomach scrunch? Why can't I be normal? I never felt like this ever. What Arnav told can be right? Of course, he was not the same Allav who was ten years before. That means he will be new and different. Then how can I handle him? He is flirting with me damn it. I didn't expect this ever. And why the hell he sounds that kind? Why his husky tone rings loudly in my heart? Didn't he tell to find some way to handle him? Will he do something? I have to be with him in the same room after our marriage. Hey Devi Maiya... Give me the strength to face him. But I'm sure; I won't accept him until he confesses that he loves me. I will make him confess. It's my promise.

Confess? She promised... But did she know that she has to cross the very hardest path to get it? And Arnav is going to give her a tough time after their marriage? Will she be able to stand in front of her "HUSBAND Allav" who is going to be a new version of extreme naughtiness?

To be continued..........